Despite the fact that there are thousands of magazines out there telling us about the new pastel colors or strong, almost incandescent shades that are causing hysteria on the catwalks, black is undeniably the color of fashion. We may buy new clothes in pink, purple, or whatever other shade the industry tells us is trendy, but black continues to be the one color that simply refuses to go away from our wardrobe. But no more, stylists urge us, because we must banish all black to learn to appreciate life again.

Alice B from the Daily Mail is the first to ring the alarm on all women’s need to finally “show their true colors” by throwing away all black items from their wardrobe. After a visit at the optician’s, where she was provided with the services of a color therapist to help her choose the frames to best suit her face, Alice was made to realize that black, besides being a close-to-miraculous shade, also comes with great disadvantages.

What it does to the face, especially when tired, or to the body, particularly if skinnier than average, could be deemed catastrophic if there wasn’t such an easy solution out of the predicament, Alice says.

And that solution is going on a “fashion diet,” and gradually eliminating all black items from one’s wardrobe – and there’s plenty of eliminating to do since an average woman’s summer wardrobe is made up of 30 percent black clothes, while during winter that percentage goes up to 70 percent. Of course, not all items will be cast away, stylists allowing us to keep one or two (three tops), like some vintage gown or a pair of jeans that look too good to go to the trash bin.

Moreover, if we’re to believe British clairvoyant Mairead Armstrong, black also has a negative influence on our wellbeing, even though we might not realize it. So, it’s not just a question of making the most of our strong points to be fashionable she says. “Depression and worry in the aura are signified by dark colors or black around the head, and often the person will be wearing these darker colors. Although black can be seen as chic and smart as well as the choice for those who want to hide body shape or mass, it is a color that absorbs light rather than reflects it and can therefore attract that which is negative.” Armstrong explains.

In fewer words, what we need to do in 2009 is to re-learn how to dress and to shop in order to look better and feel ten times happier than we did in 2008. As for the learning to shop part, no doubt we’ll manage quite OK. The rest can be just as easy if we really want it, stylists assure us.